Detroit City Council Formal Session

Agenda: https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=9c1e9c67-1772-475a-b541-4f20adcd7ee9&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English

Documenters reporting: https://detroit.documenters.org/assignments/detroit-city-council-formal-session-15109/

I’m experiencing internet issues which might affect my coverage today.

10:04 and I’m waiting on the Zoom for the meeting to start.

Meeting called to order 10:05.

Going into invocation now.

Council member Gabriela Santiago Romero is presenting a Spirit of Detroit award to Chass Clinic in Southwest Detroit. She said she used their dental care services as a kid.

“I am beyond grateful for all the services and programming Chass provides to the community,” she said.

Santiago Romero said that they desperately need Chass to continue providing Detroiters with free and accessible healthcare “that is quite frankly at risk now.”

“I see you and how hard you’re working and I understand the fear and pain that’s happening now with federal cuts,” Santiago Romero said.

Now onto reconsideration, where the board will reconsider previous votes.

First, they are reconsidering a motion from last week’s meeting about improvements to patient safety at the Detroit Medical Center hospital. https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=221463

The board did not end up reconsidering their decision.

Council Member Latisha Johnson said she wants to work with the DMC, Henry Ford, and other city hospitals to hear how they are planning to assist the most vulnerable in the community.

Going into public comment now.

1. Michael Cunningham, who promotes his work giving out free rides, hand warmers, and bus tickets, thanked council members for giving him free bus tickets to pass out. He’s promoting his number and how he helps others.

More about Cunningham:
https://www.bridgedetroit.com/meet-detroits-other-people-mover-michael-cunningham-ii/

1. Somebody is upset that pride month is in the same month as Juneteenth. She also thinks Trump should be able to bring in federal troops, called pride an abomination to god.

President Mary Sheffield asked her and other commenters to be respectful of other beliefs.

1. Wants a meeting with council president. I didn’t catch who he’s affiliated with, but I think he’s

1. Defending commenter two’s comments about immigration enforcement in the city.

She said Santiago Romero was disrespectful to Black residents, I think she’s upset with undocumented people living in the city and using the city’s resources. Said she’ll be back to continue addressing Santiago Romero.

Pro Tem James Tate said she might as well come to address him too, because “as a Black American, I recognize that we’re all under attack right now.”

“We’ve got to have a mentality of not separating each other,” he said.

1. Steven Rimmer with the Detroit Tenants Association is continuing to push a Right to Renew ordinance.

President Mary Sheffield said originally submitted RtR ordinance had legal challenges so the law department has been working to draft changes to address these legal issues.

1. Vendor who seems to sell things like glow sticks and other items during events downtown feels disrespected. She’s upset that the city formed a contract with Glow Works, a company that sells similar items which pushes vendors like her out.

1. 30+ year Detroit resident and former Detroit Fire Department firefighter is facing a retaliatory eviction and is asking for help.

1. President of a towing business said her contract was terminated “due to being set up by the police department.”

She said their reason for terminating the contract keeps changing and she doesn’t understand why her contract was suddenly terminated.

1. Here to talk about over-assessment of property taxes. Said she spoke with council president Mary Sheffield’s office, they listened and said they would do something to help her, but she hasn’t actually gotten any information or help. She wants city council to address the issue more aggressively.

1. Wonders when the city will raise the flag on Juneteenth, and why they’ve been so late to share information about Juneteenth events.

1. Campus Martius vender said they have been blocked out from different events downtown. She mentions the Glow Works contract for the tree lighting event, which kicked out venders like her. She’s been doing this for a decade and said she hasn’t been kicked out like this until now.

Going to online public comment, there are 23 callers.

1. Resident and developer said the city is trying to be proactive about affordable housing, referencing line item 18.13 about section 108 for affordable housing, supports the agenda item. https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=221369

1. Another vendor said he got a vendor license but the city put him where there was no traffic. He also agrees with commenter 2 and her sentiments about undocumented immigrants, thinks people shouldn’t be here illegally.

1. Former commissioner William Davis expressed his concern with the DMC resolution reconsidered earlier.

1. Kamau Jawara with We the People Michigan asked city council not to make any rash decisions re: declaring themselves a sanctuary city because it isn’t an actual protection to immigrant populations, and worried it could make Detroit a target by the federal administration.

1. Said commenter 2 is entitled to her opinions. Also said Santiago Romero didn’t accurately portray the historical situation of SW Detroit hospitals well, saying Black and brown hospitals while the commenter said these hospitals were Black owned, not Black and brown.

Some context: These hospitals were Black owned because hospitals in the city were segregated. Eventually these hospitals closed, which created a greater need for healthcare in the city especially in SW Detroit.

When Santiago Romero presented the Spirit of Detroit award to Chass, she celebrated how they filled a need for healthcare after these Black-owned hospitals closed.

1. Talking about how she has not yet been compensated for damages related to a water main break in front of her house. Said Gary Brown with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DWSD) compensated those involved with the giant main breaks in Southwest Detroit.

She said she’s drinking bottled water right now because they didn’t replace two water pipes that are rusting the water.

1. Celebrates how city council members handled misinformation about immigration pushed in public comment.

He also thinks having metal detectors at city transit centers is “beyond ridiculous.” I’m not sure if this is

1. Southwest Detroit resident and immigrant remembers when the city passed a number of policies to help immigrants in the city like the Detroit ID, protecting immigrant students, etc. (continued)

She said in order to protect the safety of everyone, the city shouldn’t establish itself as a sanctuary city because it could put a target on the city’s back from the federal government, leading to unwanted federal government intervention. (continued)

She thinks the city should instead continue to advocate for specific policies that protect everyone.

I missed a comment due to typing out the last one.

1. Celebrating council president Sheffield, I think referencing her in the mayoral debates last night. Said her team is doing a great job.

1. Resident has had three issues with failing bike racks on city buses. One time he saw a bus “horizontally projecting” in front of the bus. He’s also concerned with policing activities and metal detectors at transit centers.

Member Calloway asked if anyone from DDOT was online to discuss the bike rack issues. She wants DDOT to make sure all bike racks are in working condition or fix accordingly.

Stephanie Davis with DDOT said they reached out to commenter 21 when he spoke at the public health and safety committee yesterday. There has not yet been an audit of the bus he was riding but she said the matinence team was aware.

She can get a better update by the end of the meeting.

1. Disappointed that city council hasn’t fully implemented charter section 7-201 https://library.municode.com/mi/detroit/codes/code_of_ordinances/304930?nodeId=PTIHORUCH_ART7THEXBRPRSEAC_CH2REHESA_S7-201HE

1. Whitney Clarke, who’s running for city council, said if the city needs to come together on issues that matter on the ground in order to create movement on immigration issues.

1. Representing the Coalition for Property Tax Justice, promotes their work and services.

1. Celebrating the turn out for No Kings Day protests in the city.

1. Meeko Williams with Hydrate Detroit said an Occupy the Corner event was fun for kids.

Referencing the No Kings Day protests, he said “we have to defend our den” referencing Mayor Duggan. He also said that events throughout the North End were over-policed and mostly white.

1. Asks for city council’s support as she faces legal challenges relating to paying property taxes.

1. Frequent commenter mentions Kaniesha Coleman, who’s death was ruled a suicide, did not kill herself. https://wdet.org/2021/12/23/a-grieving-mother-seeks-answers-after-detroit-police-investigation-of-daughters-shooting-death/

1. Talking about issues with election fraud. She doesn’t seem to support any of the council members, thinks they have given all their resources to “illegal immigrants.”

It’s generally discouraged to use the term “illegal immigrant” because it is stigmatizing, dehumanizing, and not always accurate.
More here: https://www.vera.org/news/no-person-is-illegal-the-language-we-use-for-immigration-matters
And here: https://picum.org/words-matter-2/

Santiago Romero reminded residents (in reference to negative sentiments about pride month and immigration) that there are Black queer people and also Black Latinx people in the city, and working for justice for one group means working for justice for all.

Public comment is over. Catching up from things I missed while typing the previous posts.

The board just approved 10 line items (pictured below)

Before approving, council member Latisha Johnson said item 17.2 was moved out of a committee with a recommendation to deny. The board is getting someone from the HR department. https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=221280

The board asked why the contract is three years instead of one. The contract is three years because each year is cheaper under a three year compared to one year contract.

17.11-17.14 approved.

17.15-16 approved.

18.1-18.11 up for vote. Santiago Romero asked about 18.3, why the contract is increasing by $3 million. John Truong with the Housing and Revitalization Department said the increase is due to solar needs for the project that were already pre approved. https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=221357

She also asked about 18.4. She has concerns about trying to find shelter for homeless residents. Terra Linzner with the HRD department said they haven’t been able to get ahold of somebody Santiago Romero sent. The resident sent over was struggling to find shelter on a Sunday.

Items 18.1-18.11 approved.

Santiago Romero wants to postpone the vote on 18.13 for one week to continue to get some questions answered.

Rebecca LeBeau with Housing and Revitalization said there is a deadline with the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) to apply for loans for the section 108 program by July 1st. HUD asked them to demonstrate an interest in using this money. They don’t want to go past that deadline.

Council member Coleman Young II asked how this fits in the overall plan to reduce the housing availability gap.

LeBeau said they see a greater demand for units than they can create, so they’re trying to be more aggressive with their development strategy.

Their current strategy launching for 2040 is to create 3,000 new units and preserve another 10,000. They estimate the section 108 program can get the city about 1,000 units (a mix of new and preserved units) with the $75 million they’re looking to borrow.

They don’t know how many units will be new and how many preserved.

This is going to get postponed to next week.

Onto 18.14. Pro Tem Tate said he received concerns about the resolution and asked for another one week postponement. This was also postponed last week.

This item was postponed again too.

Items 18.16-18.19 approved.

Items 19.1-19.8 approved

Continued

19.9-19.11 approved.

This motion failed. Santiago Romero recommended they deny given a pending lawsuit.

21.1-21.5 approved, various events in the city.

Now reviewing contracts 21.6-21.21

The date of the contract on 21.16 has changed.

Approved 21.17-21.21 with discussion. Santiago Romero wondered why they aren’t working with Detroit at Work to offer CDL trainings. The contract they are discussing focuses more on heavy duty specialty equipment rather than CDL certifications.

21.22-21.27 approved.

Item 21.28 would schedule a closed session on Tuesday, July 1st at 3 p.m. They approved with roll call.

There are four items about approving closed sessions on July 1st. They approved all of these with a roll call.

Resolutions 26.1-26.8 approved.

Council members are announcing events in their districts now.

Meeting adjourned at 1:23.

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